DR Congo opens new Ebola Centers as outbreak spreads

The Democratic Republic of the Congo is intensifying efforts to contain a fast-evolving Ebola outbreak in the eastern province of Ituri by opening three new treatment centres, health authorities have announced.

The outbreak involves the rare Bundibugyo strain, for which there are no approved vaccines or specific treatments.

The move comes days after the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) on May 17, citing concerns over underreporting, potential cross-border transmission into Uganda, and growing pressure on local health systems.

Congolese Health Minister Samuel Roger Kamba announced plans to establish dedicated Ebola treatment centres in key affected areas of Ituri during a visit to Bunia, the provincial capital. The facilities are expected to boost isolation and treatment capacity as hospitals struggle to cope with rising suspected cases.

“We know that the hospitals are already under stress because of the patients,” Kamba said. “But we are preparing to establish treatment centres at all three sites to expand our capabilities.”

As of Tuesday, authorities had confirmed 131 Ebola-related deaths and recorded at least 513 suspected infections. Community deaths and infections among health workers have raised further alarm.

The Bundibugyo Ebola strain is less common than the Zaire variant and lacks the vaccines and therapeutics developed for previous outbreaks.

The WHO has deployed experts and emergency supplies to support the Congolese response, while the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention is coordinating regional efforts. Authorities are intensifying contact tracing, surveillance, and infection prevention measures despite insecurity and weak infrastructure in eastern DRC.

Cases linked to the outbreak have been reported across several health zones in Ituri, with suspected transmission into Uganda. Reports also indicate that an American doctor working in the region is among those infected.

This is the DRC’s 17th Ebola outbreak since 1976. The country successfully contained another outbreak in late 2025.